CHAPTER X

Of his journey to the parts about Brabant

(1)

THE pious and humble Master Gerard,
hearing of the great and widespread
fame of John Ruysbroek, a monk and
Prior of the Monastery of Grünthal,
near Brussels, went to the parts about Brabant,
although the journey was long, in order to see in
bodily presence this holy and most devout father;
for he longed to see face to face, and with his own
eyes, one whom he had known hitherto only by
common report and by his books; and to hear
with his own ears that voice utter its words from
a living human mouth—a voice as gracious as if
it were the very mouthpiece of the Holy Ghost,
He took with him therefore that revered man Master John Cele, the director of the School of Zwolle,
a devout and faithful lover of Jesus Christ; for
their mind and heart were at one in the Lord, and
the fellowship of each was pleasant to the other,
and this resolve was kindled within them that their
journey, which was undertaken for the sake of
spiritual edification, should redound in the case of
each to the Glory of God.

(2) There went also with them a faithful and
devout layman, named Gerard the shoemaker, as
their guide upon the narrow way, and their inseparable companion in this happy undertaking.

When they came to the place called Grünthal, 24they saw no lofty or elaborate buildings therein, but
rather all the signs of simplicity of life and poverty,
such as marked the first footsteps of our Heavenly
King when He, the Lord of Heaven, came upon
this earth as a Virgin’s Son, and in exceeding
poverty. As they entered the gate of the monastery, that holy father, the devout Prior, met them,
being a man of great age, of kindly serenity, and
one to be revered for his honourable character.
He it was whom they had come to see, and saluting
them with the greatest benignity as they advanced,
and being taught by a revelation from God, he
called upon Gerard by his very name and knew
him, though he had never seen him before. After
this salutation he took them with him into the
inner parts of the cloister, as his most honoured
guests, and with a cheerful countenance, and a
heart yet more joyful showed them all due courtesy and kindness as if he were entertaining Jesus
Christ Himself.

(3) Gerard abode there for a few days conferring with this man of God about the Holy Scriptures; and from him he heard many
heavenly
secrets which, as he confessed, were past his understanding, so that in amazement he said, with
the Queen of Sheba, “O excellent father, thy wisdom and thy knowledge exceedeth the fame which
I heard in mine own land; for by thy virtues thou
hast surpassed thy fame.” After this he returned
with his companions to his own city greatly edified; and being as it were a purified creature,
he pondered over what he had heard in his mind,
and often dwelt thereon in his heart: also he
committed some of Ruysbroek’s sayings to writing, that they might not be forgotten.

God also revealed to Gerard the death of this
25most beloved father, which revelation he made
manifest in the hearing of many of the citizens by
the tolling of the bells: and more privately, showed
to certain of his friends that the soul of the Prior,
after but one hour of Purgatory had passed to the
glory of heaven.

Gerard himself did not long survive, for when
the third year after these things was almost past,
there came the time appointed for him to die, and
at the call of God he paid the debt of the flesh.

This sojourn on his visit to the Prior was not a time of
idleness, nor was the discourse of so holy a father barren; but the instruction
of his living voice gave nurture to a fuller love, and an increase of fresh
zeal, as he testifies in a letter which he sent to these same brethren in the
Grünthal, saying “I earnestly desire to be commended to your director and
Prior, the footstool of whose feet I would fain be both in this life, and in the
life to come; for my heart is welded to him beyond all other men by love and
reverence. I do still burn and sigh for your presence, to be renewed and
inspired by your spirit and to be a partaker thereof.”